Valve mechanism for spaghetti canning machines



Nov. 27, 1945. v G. M. GIILLEN VALVE MECHANISM FOR SPAGHETTI CANNING MACHINES Filed Jan. 18, 1944 I 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Nov. 27, 1945. a M, Gi LEN 2,389,901

VALVE MECHANISM FOR SPAGHETTI CANNING MACHINES Filed Jan. 18, 1944 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 jwumvtom Patented Nov. 27, 1945 VALVE MECHANISM FOR SPAGHETTI CANNIN G MACHINES George M. Gillen, Paterson, N. J assignor t Nicholas Pisapia, Paterson, N. J.

Application January 18, 1944, Serial No. 518,763

4 Claims.

This invention relates to canning machinery, and is more particularly concerned with a measuring valve device for use in connection with the canning of spaghetti or like material.

In canning machinery it is conventional to provide a source of the material to bercanned and a conduit leading from that source to a discharge nozzle which is fitted in 01' over the container to be filled. In the conduit connecting the source with th discharge nozzle it is customary to provide a measuring device or valve which is intermittently operated to dispense to the nozzle successive measured quantities of the material to be canned, each dispensing operation involving enough of said material to fill an individual can, jar or the like. Thus, the empty cans are successively placed in registry with the nozzle and are successively accurately filled as the measuring valve completes an operating cycle.

Of course, measuring valves of the general type mentioned above are at present well known and they conform to a wide variety of shapes adapted for various conditions of operation. It has been found, however, that in the canning of spaghetti or like material, peculiar problems are presented which render conventional canning machinery unsatisfactory. This difficulty arises largely because of the nature of spaghetti itself. Cooked spaghetti, when fed in bulk to a measuring valve, forms a continuous more or less air-locked column of such a nature that it is impossible to vent the measuring valve through the material, as is often done in the case of granular substances. Neither can an ordinary air vent be used because of the fact that spaghetti is made up of elongated components which, in cooked condition, will quickly clog an air vent of conventional form.

Furthermore, because of the fact that cooked spaghetti packs together to form a continuous body, there is a tendency to jam the valve as it moves from filling to dispensing position, thereby resulting in defective operation either from the point of View of timing or the amount of material dispensed.

It is, therefore, an object of this invention; to provide a measuring valve device particularly adapted for use in machines for canning spaghetti or the like, which valve is adequately vented during both the filling and discharge operations, and which is designed to sever the column of material upon movement away from the filling position in such a manner as to assure the filling of the chamber of the measuring valve and the rapid and clean severance of the remainder of the material from the measured amount. V i

It is contemplated, according to this invention,

ken lines a portion of the support for the measuring valve;

Figure 2 is a front view of the measuring valve device partially in vertical section better to illustrate the structure of the rotating element;

Figure 3 is a view in section taken on line 3-3 V of Figure 2; and

Figure 4 is a top plan view of the rotary element of the valve removed from the assembly for convenience in illustration.

Referring now to the drawings in greater detail, it will be seen that the valve device is made up of a frusto-conical hopper I0, a measuring valve assembly I l and a discharge nozzle or fitting l2. Valve assembly I I is provided with a support I3 which is mounted on a base l4, resting in turn on a bench or platform l5 conveniently disposed within the cannery. Frusto-conical hopper l0 may be conveniently made of sheet metal with its small open end welded or otherwise attached to a rectangular plate l6 provided with a round centrally located opening equal in size to and registering with the discharge opening of the hopper. bolts [1 to an exteriorly flattened upper portion of an interiorly cylindrical valve housing 18, said housing having an aperture at |9 of an interiorly cylindrical valve housing in its upper wall registering with that in plate l6 and serving with it to establish communication between the hopper Ill and the interior of the valve housing l8.

Valve housing I8 consists of a hollow casting open at one end and there provided with a cover plate 20 attached by bolts 21, see Figure l. The bottom of valve housing [8 is provided with an integral flattened lower portion 22 in all respects similar to the corresponding upper portion to which plate [6 is bolted. Portion 22 is provided with a round central opening at 23 leading to the hollow interior of housing l8. The openings at l9 and 23 are disposed on a vertical axis apart. Nozzle I2 is attached by bolts 24 to the flattened lower portion 22 of valve housing It},

Plate I6 rests upon and is afiixed by of valve housing.I8. Cover plate 20 of valve housing I8 is provided witha similar bearing sleeve 29 for the reception of stub shaft 30 extending The...

from the other end of valve element 28. valve element is, therefore, mounted for rotation within valve housing I8, turningonitstwocone.

centric stub shafts 21 and 30.

The portion of valve housing I8 to the rear of the operator is also exteriorly flattened-and is...

provided with interiorly threaded sockets for the reception of bolts 3| which=fasten$ the valve.

housing to support I3.

rodz.:33.-; .Rod .33 is cthreaded' at: its base and Support I3 consists of an arm 32 extending outwardly from a vertical mayJtherefOre be raised or :lowered'with respect;

to bloclc I4," thereby;raising1or lowering the ,valveassembly withrespect-to platform I5; so that;

containers of difierentt" heights .maybe --rea-dily accommodated undermozzleIZ. In this connection :see Figure. 1.

As has been stated before, :valvehousing-I8 is interiorlycylindrical andis provided with an in take port at I9 and a discharge port at 23. Ports I9 and 23-arein .vertical alignment and lie'directly under .the .vertical .axis. of frusto-conlcaI hopper I0.

valve-- element .28 were. not provided, the materialwould fall vertically. through; valve housing- If, therefore, 'frusto,-conica1hopper-- II) were filled with a material, and if rotary I8 in a straightline..."0f course; ;it is necessary 1 to 'dir'ect the material into thecontainer; ,For this reason the frusto-conical filler; nozzle -,I2sis provided, the base of which is .welded; to flange plate'25.

Valve element 28 is bothinteriorly .and;exte-,-

riorly cylindrical; Its'externaLidiameter is such that it fits closely within valveihousing I8; Pro-- jections 34 on'the end walls of.-.valve= element-34 rest against the corresponding; end walls; of v:valve housing-I8 and hold .valve lelement'28 against axial-displacement; Aslcanube seen upon-refer-" ence to Figure. 4, valve element' 28 is providedwith an aperture at-35iin its-cylindrical wa-ll; said-aperture being of a size'and' in position to exactly register: with either. of the apertures at I9 and 23 i'n-valvehousingla; .s It is now-evident.

that with valve element 28 in the positionshown in Figure 2, material from.:hopper Il'l'will. tend;-.

by gravity flow, to fillth'e'valve element and thento cease flowing. Ifthe valve element.is thenturned- 180- its aperture 35.will be displaced from" registry with aperture IBtOZregistry-With 'ape pture 23,-at which timedischarge of-the :con-*.

tents of valve element 28 willtake place:througl1;.;.=.

frusto-conical nozzle I'2.=

Inusing a device of. thecharacter; shown' in;

Figure'2 with a material such'as .c.ooked;spag-hetti,

two yery serious difficulties.arise;v whichr difficulx-s.

ties are overcomeby the present invention, ren-J,v

deringit particularly suitable 'for'luseiin' the loan?" ning of spaghetti and likematerials. :In. the zfirst;

place,-;when hopper IOdischarges into valve'ele-r ment'28 a continuous body:ofnmaterialextends;

from {the hopperthrough. aperture 35.:andsinto the valve element; In view of the elongatedchara:

acter-- of spaghetti, it is essential -rthat. .the-. dge1: of gvalveelement 28 which defines theiaperturef at: 35, be sufficiently sharp so thatwhen the valve;

being provided with a flange in the form of a.

is turned a cutting action will take place, thus severing the continuous strands of spaghetti and subdividing the pro-existing continuous body into a body still within hopper I0, and another body enclosed within valve element 28. Upon reference to Figure 2 it will be seen that the material of which valve element 28 is made is thick but is beveledadjacent aperture 35, so that the actual defining edge of that aperture. is thin and sharp, resulting in the cutting action previously described.

In view of the fact that cooked spaghetti forms a continuous and compact body, it is insufficiently foraminous to permit the ready escape there- .through of the air which is displaced from valve element .28.during filling of its hollow interior. This being the case, filling would be considerably retarded were it not for the novel and convenient air. vent provided in accordance with thisinvention. Upon reference to Figure 2 it can be seen thatrshaft 2I.is hollow defininga central. conduit... This. conduit/is. continued; through end plate: 36 ofzvalve element-,28;and-. terminates in .a disk-shapedrecess 31 ongthex.

interior wall of plate 36. By this arrangement a continuousv airvent is provided fromtheintew. I rior of valve. element 28 to 'the'end of .shaft .21. A suitable packing joint is held in place by flanged; sleeve: 38 ;and, from this joint, a stationary vent 1 pipe;39 extendsto. the top of hopper; vIILabeing. supported from hopper In by a bracket 48. Note that bearing sleeve '26.ofvalve. housing I8 ex-..,

tends beyondthe. end: ofhollow stub shaft 2Iqso... thatrthe rotation of the latter-.does not interferes with th .packing..joint. This ,joint. is .made up:.; of an. external :iiange. or..the .endv of pipe-.39 and. the enda'of bearing.sleev,e;-2B an annular washer being .disposed therebetween. and .held .under .com.-x pression by threaded :flanged sleeve 38..

It has been found .that'due'to the nature of cooked spaghettLa boresuch as.thatprovided.-in.:. end plate .36 .and :stubtshaft. 21; soon becomes; clogged-with. spaghetti and thereby prevents :the .1 veryventing action which is sought; This :being... the case, recess3'I .is fittedpwitha screen 4| whichzx. is heldin position againstthe bottom of .the'recessw by an annularwasher. 42, .in .turn held;by.bo1ts1; d2a wwith itsface. flushxwith the .end.plate.36.v Washer 42.prevents the spaghetti from packing tightlyragainst. the screen .41; This screenis :of... a mesh fine enough: to prevent-the spaghetti from.-.-. bodily. entering the vent. and i is ofzsufiicient .areas toxactas-a continuous wall for. the spaghetti ma-.-:.

terial whenthe latter is in. themeasuring .valve 'element 28 Of course; the.vent acts tosupplya airzto valve element28z'during discharge, as well as for the accommodating displaced: air. during filling.

It ihastbeen explainedthat. valve element 282'i's rotated frfrom thefillingtolthe discharge posi-;: tions.... According tozthis invention such: action is efiected: automatically; 1 To' this. ends. drive gear 43-" is :keyedto the ..end.0f stubJshaft 30Jand is in. a position to mesh with another gear 44, the" driv 'ing; teethiofwhich arez' interrupted in two zones 1809.. apart; Whenthe interrupted zones register withv the teeth. .of :gear :43; :the I latterxis momentarily: not driven- :andrconsequentlY stops. Theangulainadjustment of the two gears 431and 44 is such that the .interrupted portions of the latter will" register" with the .teeth ofthe former when aperture 35'of .valve element 28 is in registry with first aperture; I 9; and then; aperture 23 in repeated sequence. GearJI4-ds continuouslyidriven through a shaft 45 from .a source, IIOtLShOWIl, at-a speed J such that movement through the interrupted zone of the teeth will be sufficient to permit either filling or discharge, depending upon the particular station in which valve element 28 finds itself upon cessation of motion.

Although in the specification and the accompanying drawings there is shown and described a preferred embodiment of this invention and various modifications thereof, and although various alternatives are suggested, these are not intended to be exhaustive or limiting of the invention, but, on the contrary are given for the purpose of illustrating it and instructing others in the principles thereof as well as the best practical manner of utilizing the invention in order that others may be enabled to modify it and apply it in numerous forms each as may be best suited to conditions and requirements in any particular instance.

What is claimed is:

l. A device for dispensing measured amounts of spaghetti or the like comprising a vertically extending conduit for supplying material from a source to a point of discharge, an interiorly cylindrical valve housing in said conduit, an exteriorly cylindrical hollow 'valve element, means mounting said valve element in said housing for rotation on a horizontal axis, said valve element having an aperture in its cylindrical wall in position to register with the conduit above and below it, and a port centrally located in its end wall,

said mounting means having a vent continuously in open communication with said port and the atmosphere, a screen disposed in spaced relation to the end wall of said valve element and covering said port, and means for periodically angularly displacing said valve element in repeated cycles 180 from a position in which its aperture is in registry with the portion of the conduit thereabove to a position in which its aperture is in registry with the conduit therebelow.

2. A dispensing device as claimed in claim 1 in which said valve element has an annular recess surrounding said port, said screen mounted in said recess, and an annular washer for holding said screen against the bottom of said recess, said washer lying flush with the wall of the valve element.

3. A device for dispensing measured amounts of spaghetti or the like comprising, a vertically extending hopper, a discharge nozzle, a vertically extending conduit connecting said hopper and said discharge nozzle, an interiorly cylindrical valve housing in said conduit, an exteriorly cylindrical hollow valve element in said valve housing, said valve element having an aperture in its cylindrical wall in a position to register with the (portion of the conduit thereabove and therebelow, and a port centrally located in its end wall, the end wall of said valve element'being annularly recessed about said port, a screen in said recess covering said port, said mounting means having a vent continuously in open communication with said port and the atmosphere, a tubular conduit connecting said vent passageway to atmosphere, said tubular conduit extending to a point adjacent the top of said hopper, and means for periodically angularly displacing said Valve element in repeated cycles of from a position with its aperture in registry with the portion of the conduit thereabove to a position with its aperture in registry with the portion of the conduit therebelow.

4. A device for dispensing measured amounts of spaghetti or the like comprising a vertically extending conduit for supplying material from a source to a point of discharge, an interiorly cylindrical valve housing in said conduit, an exteriorly cylindrical hollow valve element, means mounting said valve element in said housing for rotation on a horizontal axis, said valve element having an aperture in its cylindrical wall in position to register with the conduit above and below it, and a port centrally located in its end wall, said mounting means having a vent continuously in open communication with said port and the atmosphere, a screen disposed against the end wall of said valve element and covering said port, and means for periodically angularly displacing said valve element in repeated cycles 180 from a position in which its aperture is in registry with the portion of the conduit thereabove to a position in which its aperture is in registry with the conduit therebelow, said valve element having relatively thick walls beveled to thinness at the area surrounding said aperture, whereby a continuous column of spaghetti in the conduit above the valve element will be cut off and distributed within the valve element as the latter moves away from filling position.

GEORGE M. GILLEN. 

